Top 25 Reasons to Become a Freelancer
Are you thinking of reasons to become a freelancer? More and more people are now making the switch from doing 9-to-5 jobs to freelancing—it’s a freelance revolution. Maybe you also want to become a freelancer or you are curious about what you can actually get by being one.
Whatever it may be, you’ll be able to find various reasons to become a freelancer that can entice you to this way of working. For others, freelancing makes perfect sense as it really suits their lifestyle while others find it the logical path to make money without burning out.
Top Reasons to Become a Freelancer
Dive right in and find the best reasons to become a freelancer. You’ll find out why corporate employees are quitting their jobs or why stay-at-home parents are trying part-time freelancing jobs. Maybe you’ll come upon reasons to become a freelancer yourself.
1. Possibility to Earn More
One of the top reasons to become a freelancer is you get the chance to make more money. You won’t be bound to a fixed, monthly salary. By creating your own rates, acquiring more jobs, and working harder, you’ll get the money you deserve. It’s not like in corporate where you slave away and find out you won’t even be paid for overtime.
2. Flexible Work Schedule
Just imagine not having to worry about being late. You can work anytime you want, which is perfect whether you are an early bird or a night owl. If you have errands or chores to do, you can fit them right into your schedule. Maybe you don’t feel like working for the day? That’s okay because that’s the beauty of freelancing. You have the freedom to work any time of the day, any day of the week. Feel free to skip Mondays as you please.
3. Work-Life Balance
Since you don’t have a rigid schedule, you’ll find out that you can do more with your life. Creating a healthy work-life balance is easier and possible when you freelance. No one will tell you to work late if you don’t want to. No one will force you to sacrifice weekends or prioritize making reports over resting during the afternoon.
4. Work Wherever
One of the best reasons to become a freelancer that most people take advantage of is the freedom to work wherever you please. You can dream big and become a digital nomad in the continent of your choice or go smaller and simply travel your country while you work. It might not seem much but you don’t have to work at a desk and it’s freeing to do meetings from the comfort of your bed.
5. Make and Meet Your Own Goals
You don’t have a boss that will pressure you into meeting deadlines or reaching targets by the end of the quarter. When you are a freelancer, you create your own goals and you will be accountable for reaching these said goals.
6. Choose Your Own Clients
No one will assign a client to you, you get to pick out who you will work with or work for. Some people think freelancers have a tough time as they are responsible for finding their own clients. But this is also a good thing. You don’t have to get stuck with clients that you don’t actually jive with.
7. Work On Your Own
If you are a lone wolf, freelancing is one of the best things that you can do. Just imagine never having to deal with small talk or trying to collaborate with a colleague. You get to choose to work on projects on your own the way you want to—no compromises.
8. Explore Different Work Options
Although it is advisable to have a niche when you are a freelancer, you still have the freedom to explore different roles. This is very helpful for those who have yet to figure out what they really want to do to earn a living. You can take on odd jobs or simple one-off assignments. For example, if you are a writer, you can dabble in copywriting, scriptwriting, or creating social media content. By trying on different hats as a writer, you may finally end up finding your niche.
9. Juggle Exciting Projects
Isn’t it annoying when you have to go to the office to do the same task every single day? Or maybe you are assigned a very boring project and the only way through it is to actually finish it. With freelancing, you don’t have to settle for dull jobs. You can work on various projects that actually inspire you, so you don’t ever get bored.
10. You Can Say No
One of the troubles with working in the office is it’s kind of a no-no to say no, especially to your boss. But in freelancing, since you are the boss, you can say no. It’s a different kind of freedom to be able to turn down projects or clients that you simply don’t have time for. You can say no to things you don’t like so you can say yes to things that you do.
11. Personal Growth
If you want to grow on your own, freelancing is the way to go. This path will definitely be challenging but it is because of these challenges that you will grow. You’ll be able to learn accountability, create your own schedule, balance work and free time, and more.
12. Learn New Skills
When you are a freelancer, you are more than just your actual work. For example, if you are an artist, you don’t just draw and paint all day. You will definitely be learning other skills to be able to become successful in freelancing. This means learning how to market yourself online, negotiating with potential clients, making contracts, proposals, invoices, Google forms, and more.
13. Opportunity to Create a Business
When you are freelancing, you are technically running a business. Although at the beginning you are pretty much a one-person business, you get the chance to grow it. Unlike at corporate jobs, you can’t really run a business because you are busy or there may even be rules not allowing it. If you want to be a business owner, freelancing is an excellent stepping stone.
14. Limitless Time Offs
Worried about taking sick leaves, personal time off, or just much-deserved vacations? You never have to think about a boss who might not approve of your leave of absence. Take all of the vacation leaves you want because as a freelancer, you choose when to work.
15. No Office Rules
If you are not a stickler for rules, this is one of the best reasons to become a freelancer. In corporate jobs, you have to follow protocols so as not to receive demerits or worse, get fired. HR will not breathe down your neck checking if you are using Facebook while you work. All of those office rules are out the window when you are a freelancer.
16. Build or Join Freelancing Communities
If you find yourself feeling a bit lonely or needing support while freelancing, don’t worry. There are now thriving freelancing communities across different industries. You’ll have the chance to collaborate with like-minded people. There’s also a chance to create your own community where you can network and even find new gigs.
17. Make a Name for Yourself
When you are a freelancer, you are working for yourself. All of your hard work and skills are attributed to you, not to a team or a company. It is all you and you get to be proud of the things you did and worked on. Clients will be looking for you, not a company you work for.
18. No Coworkers
Think about it, you never have to hear mindless chatter from the cubicle next door. You also don’t have to worry about coworker problems like suck-ups or idea stealers. If you find yourself troubled with coworkers, being a freelancer will free you from that.
19. Focus on Meaningful Work
You don’t get random assignments, you choose your own project, and you also have time to really dive deep into your craft or skills. There’s no need to attend meetings that don’t really matter or corporate events that don’t really do anything for your career.
20. No Corporate Attire
Think of how comfortable you are when you work. No stuffy suits and ties, you can skip the blazers and pencil skirts. Plus, think of the money you will save from not buying corporate clothes—and they can be really expensive (not to mention, dry cleaning corporate clothes can be pricey, too). It happens, you get judged by colleagues or clients for what you wear, it’s part of being presentable.
21. Your Work is Always Acknowledged
Every project you make feels like a milestone, especially if you are doing it for different clients. All of the work you have done will definitely be acknowledged by your clients, well because they have to pay for it. They can offer good or bad criticisms, which is still a sign of acknowledgment, unlike other corporate jobs where you will only be noticed when you make a mistake.
22. Never Worry About Getting Fired
Making mistakes isn’t as bad when you are a freelancer. It doesn’t mean you’ll get fired, which is a cause of worry for corporate employees. As a freelancer, mistakes are a reason to grow and learn. Yes, you may lose a project or a client but not your entire source of living.
23. Get to Know Yourself More
One of the worst things about working for a company is there is a chance to “lose yourself”. You have to follow rules, some may even require uniforms. It’s possible to lose your sense of identity as you become another piece of a corporate machine.
But, when you are a freelancer, each day is a chance to get to know yourself. You’ll know what you are like whenever you have small victories. When challenges arise, you’ll see the kind of person you are when facing rejections or getting over obstacles.
24. Freelancing is More Acceptable Today
Back in the day, it is the norm to become an employee. But now, freelancing is becoming an acceptable career path. You don’t have to worry about others asking where your life will lead if don’t apply to a prestigious company.
In fact, more and more people are now turning to freelance. It’s perfectly acceptable to become a full-time freelancer and is not frowned upon like before. The freelancing community is thriving and projections show that the workforce is embracing this career path.
25. Spend More Time with Family
One of the main reasons to become a freelancer is to have more time with family. These days, working women no longer have to choose between a career or being a mother—they can be both, thanks to freelancing.
When you are a freelancer, you can spend more time at home. It’s easy to pause the work you are doing to attend to your children. You can also take as many breaks as you want so you can play with your pets or take care of family members.
If you are a multitasker, you’ll be able to do your job while also being there for your family. This really isn’t an option for corporate jobs, especially those that require you to work at the office or have demanding meeting schedules and deadlines.
Conclusion
There really are so many reasons to become a freelancer. It’s got perks and advantages for just about everyone. Whether you are a fresh-out-of-school graduate, a family man, or an aspiring entrepreneur, you’ll find that there are many reasons to become a freelancer.
The good thing is, you don’t have to jump all in at once. You can start off with part-time freelancing so you can get a taste of being a freelancer. It’s possible you’ll find reasons to become a full-time freelancer on your own.
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